Wire-stretcher.



No. 051,890. Patented :une l0, |900.

. F. M. Russen..

WIRE STHETCHER.

(Application led Nov. 22.1897. `Renewed4 Jain. 25, 1900.)

"(NoAModel.)

UNITED 'STATES- PATEN'I OFFICE.

FRANOISM. RUSSELL, OF SHINN, OHIO.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part or Letters Patent No. 651,890, dated June 19, 1900.

Application ile'd November 22, 1897. Renewed January 25, 1900. Serial No. 2,773. (No model.)

To abil whom it may conoci/'11,:

Be it known that I, FRANoIsM. RUSSELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shinn, in the county of Morgan and State of Ohio, have invented a new and` useful Wire- Stretcher, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to wire-stretchers, its object being to provide a simple and efficient device of this character adapted to be supported on posts of varying sizes, to which the wires are designed to be secured.

The invention consists of the several details of construction, (combination,- and arrangementA of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and the novel features of which will be carefully defined in the subjoined claims. Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 isla perspective view of a wire-stretcher made in accordance with my invention secured in position upon a fence-post. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of a portion of the device. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the wire-clamp detached.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several iigures.

l indicatesa fence-post which may be of any usual or preferred construction, and 2 indicates a fence-wire.

3 indicates a vertically-disposed supporting-plate which carries all the operative parts of the device and is adapted to seat against one side of the fence-post, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. 4 indicates arms secured to the front edge of said ,plate near its upper and lower ends and projecting at a right angle thereto. A threaded locking-pin 5 issup'- ported in a threaded opening in each of the arms 4, and each pin is provided with a crankhandle 6 for conveniently turning it. To the outer face of the plate 3 a supporting-guide 7 is secured and is provided with a horizontally-disposed rectangular opening, in which the ratchet-bar S is slidably supported. A

spring-actuated pawl 9 is pivoted on the guide 7 to normallyengage the .teeth of the bar 8 and lock it against longitudinal movement in one direction, but permit it to move freely in the opposite direction. One end of the bar is bent at a right angle to form a locking-arm 10,the end of which is preferably hook-shaped, as indicated at 11. The hook 11 opposes the locking-pins 5 and is intended t0 engage the rear face of the post, while the pins engage the front face, and thus securely clamp the supporting-plate to the post, and the plate will lie vertically against one of the side faces, as will be readily understood. As the' bar 8 and pins 5 can be adjusted, the supportingplate can be secured to posts of varying dimensions.

A pair of spaced parallel horizontal bars l2 are firmly secured at oneend to the supporting-plate 3 and at their other ends to a spacing-block 13, and these bars'are each provided with a series of teeth 14 on their upper faces.

15 indicates alvertically-disposed rod secured intermediate to its ends to the spacingblock 13 and from the opposite ends of which braces 16 extend and are firmly secured to the supporting-plate at its upper and lower ends, respectively.

17 indicates heads mounted to slide on the bars 12, and each is provided with a springactuated pivoted pawl 18, which will normally'engage the teeth of its respective bar,

and lock the head against movement on the bar toward the supporting-plate. Each head is provided with a pair of horizontallydisposed spaced ears, (indicated by 19,) jbetween which the operating-lever 20 is pivot- ;ally supported. A wire-clamp is pivotally cnnected'to the lever intermediateto the `heads'17, and the fixed jaw of the clamp consists of an angle-plate the vertical member 21of which has an overhanging-lip 22. The movable jaw 23 is substantially in the form of a right-angled triangle pivoted at its rightangled corner onlthe horizontal member 24 0f the fixed jaw in such manner that its other base-corner 25 will swing into close proximity to the vertical member of the fixed jaw below the overhanging lip. When the wire is inserted between the corner 25 ofthe movable jaw and the vertical member of the Xed jaw, the greater the strain on the wire in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 the more tightly the clamp will hold the wire. f At the same time the clamp will automatically op- IOO crate to release its grip on the vvire when the sliding heads 17 aremoved 4toward the supporting-plate. the one described, is pivotally connected to the projection 27, extending forwardly from the front edge of the supporting-plate, and",

the clamp 26 will be in substantiallythesame horizontal plane as the clamp of the lever and is intended to hold the Wire after the slack has been partly taken up by the stretching devices if it should be necessary to move the l latter back toward the supporting-platein. order to get a fresh hold on the Wire to com- The clamp 2'6 Will'ailso:

nately advanced step by step along the barsy 12 until the Wire is sufficiently stretched, and it is obvious that should the Wire become accidentally detached from theclamp on the lever the clamp 26 Will hold it and'prevent it from springing back. `It is Aobvious that by the use of astretcher made in accordance With my invention the' Wire canbe stretched and secured to the Ilast post of `the series, and I am therefore enabled to dispense with an additional post, which is frequently necessary Vin order to stretch the wire andsecure it -to the last post in series. Y

`It will be understood that changes in .the form, proportion, Yand minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Y Having Vthus described the invention, I claim- Y Y l; .In a Wire-stretcher,the combination with averticallydisposedsupporting-plate `to abut against one sideof a fence-post andl adj ustable devices to clamp the plate tothe post, of -a pair of spaced, parallel toothed bars eX" tending horizontally from said plate, sliding heads onsaid bars, a lever pivotally connect-y ed to-both heads, alocking-pawl on'eachhead to `engagethe teethof its supporting-bar, and

a Wire-.clamp connected to said leverintermediate tothe heads,-sl'1bstantially as described.

, 2, In a Wire-stretcher, the combination with a vertically-disposed su pportingplate to abut against'one side of apcst, and adjustable devices to clamp the plate to the post, of a pair of spaced, parallel toothed bars extending` horizontally from said plate, a spacing-block` to which the outer ends of the bars are -secured, braces extending from said block'to4 the supporting-plate,sliding he'adson said;

bars,a lever pivotally connected to both heads,

Another clamp 26, similar to` a locking-pawl on each head to engage the teeth of its supporting-bar, anda Wire-clamp connected to said lever intermediate to the heads, substantially as described. i

3. In a Wire-stretcher, the combination with a vertically-disposed supporting-plate to abut .against one side of a post, and adjustable devices to clamp the plate to the post, of a pair of spaced,-parallel toothed bars extending horizontally from said plate, sliding heads on said bars, a lever pivotally connected to both heads and adaptedto move themY alternately stepby step along their respective'bars, a Wire- .clamp'connected 'Lto said lever intermediate to the heads, and a Wire-clamp connected to the supporting-plate -to` holdthe Wire when released 4by the Vclamp. on 'the `lever,su^bstan tially asdeScribed.

4. In a wire-stretcher, th'e combination with a vertically-disposed su pporting-plate to abut against the side of a post, of a'ratchet-'bar slidably supported in a guide secured `to the plate and having au arm extending lat aright angle thereto to engageone side-of the ipost, arms projecting from theedge ofthe plate at a right angle thereto, 'threaded locking-pins lsecuredin the said arms to oppose Vtheparm `on the ratchet-bar,-a spring-factuatedrpawl pivotedin said guide to engage Vthe teeth .of

the ratchet-barpand `vvire-stretching devicesV supported by said plate, substantially :as `described;

5. In a Wireestretcher, the combination of a vertically-disposed supportingplate-,1means to lock it ona post, spaced, lparallel toothed bars supported by'the'said'pl'ate and'extend; ing horizontally therefrom,-s`liding headssup; ported on said bars, means to adj ust-ably lock the heads on the bar,a leverpivotallyconnected to both heads and AaWire-clamp piv otally connected :to the lever intermediate-to the heads, said clamp comprising a fixed-jaw formed of an angle-plate'ha'vingan overhang- .ing lip on its vertical member, anda movable `jaW in the form of a right-angledtrianglpiv oted at its right angle on the horizontal 111cm= ber of the 'xed jaw to permit'its other baseangle to swing into .close proximity tothevertical member of the fixed jaw, substantially as described.

6. In a wire-stretcher,- fthe combination of a pair of parallel toothed bars designed to be connected with a post, -slidingheads mounted `on the barsand engaging 'the teeth, and an IZO operating-lever pivotally connected to both v of the heads and'designed to be Vconnected with a fence-wire,-substantially as described. 7. In a Wire-stretcher, the combination of 'a pair of parallel toothed bars Vdes-ignedito Vloe connected with a fence-post, slidingheads mounted on the bars and provided Withpawls engaging'the teeth'thereof, and an operatinglever pivoted to each of the heads `and designed to be connected with a fence-Wire,fsub :stanti-ally as described.

`8. In a Wire-stretcher, the combination of a supporting-plate provided with an arm ar-4 anged at one side of a fence-post, a ratehetmy own I have hereto afxed my signature in barslidingly mounted on the plate and having the presence of two Witnesses. an arm engaging the opposite side, a pawl mounted on the supporting-plate and engag- FRANCIS M RUSSELL' 5 ing the teeth of the ratchet-bar, and wire- Witnesses:

stretching devicesubstantially as described. GEO. LANE,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as J. A. WILSON. 

